by Chris Stepan

KASSON, Minn. (May 5, 2002) - The much-anticipated return of the Late Models to the Dodge County Speedway became a reality on Sunday, May 5th as the 2002 racing season kicked off in Kasson. A bakers dozen Late Models made an appearance at DCS for the season opener along with a great field of Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, Street Stocks and Midwest Modifieds.

Along with the return of the Late Models, Jeff and Donna Fitzpatrick have also made many other improvements to the Dodge County Speedway. New metal bleachers have been installed in turn 4, replacing the old wooden ones; a new wall has been placed along the entire backstretch of the speedway; a newly expanded pit area is now wider and cleaner than before and a new wireless public address system has been installed.

The Midwest Modifieds were up first with their main event, which saw Chad Herman take the lead. Herman quickly began to stretch his lead over Jerry Young, who was in a great battle with George Sniezek and Alan Bohlman for second.

After a quick caution, Young, Sniezek and Bohlman began racing very hard for the runner-up spot behind Herman. Herman got a bit sideways in turn four and spun his # 7x in front of the field, ending his chances for the win.

Young inherited the lead on the restart with Neil Eckhart moving up to challenge the top runners on the high side. Eckhart had begun to pressure Bohlman for second while Sniezek was still in a great battle for position, now with Jesse Frericks and Kenny Wytaske.

Another caution flag flew, bunching up the field and putting Eckhart right on the rear bumper of Young up front. Neil wasted little time taking advantage of the high side and blowing by Young into the lead and never looking back.

Eckhart went on to race to his first feature win at DCS this season and his third overall of the 2002 racing campaign. Young raced to a second place finish with Bohlman, Wytaske and Frericks rounding out the top five finishers.

With the lightning beginning to flash in the sky, the Late Model feature was brought out onto the track with rookie, Ryan Aho and Bob Timm sitting on the front row. Aho took off into the lead with surprise entrant, John Kaanta sneaking to the inside of Timm for second on the start.

Timm and fellow Winona driver, Keith Foss began an early race battle for third. Foss cleared Timm and began to hound Kaanta for second. Ben Mattick was also on the move and began to engage in a battle for fourth with Timm.

Back up front, Foss had slipped by Kaanta into second and began to pressure Aho for the lead. Just past the half way point, Foss got into the back end of Aho's # 71A machine and spun himself out.

Aho resumed the lead on the restart, but this time Kaanta put his mount on the high side and began to pull even with Aho for the lead. Kaanta continued to pressure Aho up front for the top spot until John was able to drive his # 85 into turn one harder than Aho and cruised by into the lead down the backstretch.

Aho stayed within striking distance, but Kaanta held on for the first ever WISSOTA sanctioned Late Model event at the Dodge County Speedway. Aho finished with a career-best second place run followed by Mattick, who also capped off a very strong weekend in third. Timm held onto fourth while Brad Waits slipped by Jon Chrest late in the race for fifth.

The Super Stock feature was up next with Mary Wytaske and Nick Herrick pacing the field. Herrick took the lead at the drop of the green as a light rain began to fall over the speedway. Wytaske was not about to let Herrick get out to a big advantage and made a bold move to the inside and pulled back alongside of Herrick for the top spot.

Bill Clemens and South Dakotan, Ben Paul were engaged in a great battle for third, while Mark Teske began to make his way through the field. Herrick and Wytaske continued to battle for the lead until Herrick got a bit sideways in turn 4 and spun his # 6, handing the lead over to Wytaske.

Teske took off after Wytaske for the lead and began to pressure Mark up front. Just as Teske snuck to the inside of Wytaske for the lead, the caution flew for the final time, negating the pass. Just as the race was about to be restarted, the skies opened up and the race was ended.

Wytaske was credited with the win over Teske, Clemens, Dave Haberman and Chris Klinger in the top five.

After a one-week weather delay, the Street Stock make-up feature was up first on May 19th with Jeff Brauer sitting on the pole, which usually means trouble for everyone else in the lineup. Greg Erickson took the lead at the start from Brauer and lead much of the event with Brauer hot on his heels, but Brauer was able to sneak to the inside of Erickson for the lead late in the event and went on to pick up his 8th feature win of the young season.

The Modified make-up feature was up next with the $1,000 paycheck on the line for the winner. Todd Klees took the lead in his Mille Lite machine and looked as if he was going to be on his way to an easy feature win until Todd Scharkey came blistering through the field and began to pressure Klees for the lead. Scharkey was able to blow by Klees into the lead with several laps to go and race to the big payday. Bobby Sorensen capped a good run with a second place run.

Racing resumes this Sunday at the Dodge County Speedway this Sunday with racing action for WISSOTA Late Models, Modifieds, WISSOTA Super Stocks, WISSOTA Street Stocks and WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds. For more information, call the track office at (507) 775-7091 or check out the track's website at www.dodgecountyspeedway.com.

RESULTS

WISSOTA Street Stocks

Feature: Brauer, Erickson, Diercks, Goodenough, Nerland, J. Gullikson, Sjervum, Zvorak, Stearns, Burr

Heat 1: Jeff Brauer, Chuck Nerland, Arlen Diercks, Tom Schwenke, David Kruckeberg

Heat 2: Dan Gullikson, Greg Erickson, Lee Sjervum, Steve Goodenough, Mark Zvokak

WISSOTA Midwest Modifieds

Feature: Neil Eckhart, Jerry Young, Alan Bohlman, Kenny Wytaske, Jesse Frericks, Greg Pfiefer, Ryan Weber, Dan Fagerlind, Harland Morehart Jr., Matt Stark

Heat 1: Bohlman, Fagerlind, Frericks, Morehart Jr., Stark

Heat 2: Pfiefer, Wytaske, Nick Kramer, George Schrumpf, Matt Narveson

Heat 3: Young, Brian Hernandez, Justin Hainka, Weber, Scott Olson

Heat 4: Eckhart, George Sniezek, Chad Herman, Dane Schultz. Jade Anderson

WISSOTA Super Stocks

Feature: Mark Wytaske, Mark Teske, Bill Clemens, Dave Haberman, Chris Klinger, Jon Duffy, Bill Stettner, Ryan Wiome, Dan Gasner, Brandon Jensen

Heat 1: Duffy, Justin Pogones, Mark Oltjenbruns, Gasner, Cole Queensland

Heat 2: Klinger, Ben Paul, Roger Herrick, Wiome, Scott Huinker

Heat 3: Teske, Stettner, Haberman, Jensen, Derrick Bridley

Heat 4: Wytaske, Nick Herrick, Clemens, Tom Chrest, Rick Franzen

Modifieds

Feature: T. Scharkey, B. Sorensen, L. Scharkey, Kilwine, Siercks, Ihrke, Lisowski, Behne, Schmidt, Madsen

Heat 1: Leroy Scharkey, Bobby Sorensen, Joel Lisowski, Bob Timm, Jay Ihrke

Heat 2: Nathan Kilwine, Mike Sorensen, Jim Arnold, Denny Barwald, Jay Poidinger

Heat 3: Todd Scharkey, Steve Wetzstein, Todd Klees, Jordan Steier, Darwyn Karau

WISSOTA Late Models

Feature: John Kaanta, Ryan Aho, Ben Mattick, Bob Timm, Brad Waits, Jon Chrest, Paul Wrazidlo, Nick Herrick, Jon Van Minsel, Mark Teske

Heat 1: Kaanta, Aho, Mattick, Timm, Chrest

Heat 2: Wrazidlo, Teske, Keith Foss, Waits, Van Minsel